Control mechanism for machine tools



Aug. 19, 1952 E, MOFERREN CONTROL MECHANISM FOR MACHINE TOOLS OriginalFiled Sept. 16, 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 lelllilll 2% m E Z k 0? .Il W 0Aug. 19, 1 E. L. M FERREN CONTROL MECHANISM FOR MACHINE TOOLS OriginalFiled Sept. 16, 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 M m MW w m 5 w aL Z W & a 2 g. .A6 O 3mm 9 in k mm A g- 1952 E. M FERREN 2,607,234

CONTROL MECHANISM FOR MACHINE TOOLS Original Filed Sept. 16, 1947 5Sheets-Sheet I5 lnwumum nmmg llllllmmmmum 4 M v m. 4,

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Patented Aug. 19, 1952 CUNTROL MECHANISM FOR 'MAG'HINE TOOLS Edgar Lee.McEerr-en, Fond du Lac, Wis., aassignor to- Giddings & Lewis MachineTool Company, Fond du Lac, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin :Grigi'nalapplication. September 16, 1947, Serial No. 774,366. Divided and thisapplicationAprili =11;, .1-9.49 Serial No. 86,837

The invention relates to machine tools. generally, and is moreparticularly concerned with improved mechanism for controlling theoperating cycle; of a. reciprocating element of such machines.

The present. application .is adivision. oflmy pending application Serial.No. 774,366, filed September 16, 1947; now Patent .No. 2,561,936.

One object of the inventionis to. provide. an improved control mechanism.for reciprocatory machine tool elements which is. simple, constructionand; which is. susceptflile of quickv andvery accurate adjustments;

Another object is to provide control mechanism of the above generalcharacter,v wherein the controlling elements which determine the limitsof travel of the reciprocatory machine part are grouped together in acompact assembly so that. adjustments affecting reciprocation. may bemade quickly and'conveni'ently atasingle control stationirrespective ofthe range of travel of'the part."

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent fromthefollowing detailed description of the preferred embodimentillustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure lis a irontfelevationalview of a machine tool embodying thefeatures." of the invention.-

Fig: zfis-a transverse sectional view of the ma.- chine talcen in avertical plane substantially on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1". Fig. 3' is apartly" sectioned front eievationa'l view of the control mechanism.

- Fig. 4 is-a enlarged sectional view taken in a plane substantially onthe line 44 of Fig. 3., showing details of the dog clamp.

While the invention is susceptible of various modifications andalternative constructions; I have shown in the drawings and willherein,de-

scribe in detail the preferred embodiment, but

it-is to be understood that I do not" thereby intend to limitthe-invention'to the specific form disclosed, but intend to-cover' allmodifications and alternative constructions 'faliingwithin' the spiritand scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

By way of illustration, theinvention has been shown as incorporated ina. machine tool having a reciprocatory partfin the form" of a car--riage or saddle 5 supported and guided by; horizontal ways 6 on theupper face of an elongated bed 1. The particular machine illustrated isof the type known as a way' grinding machine and the reciprocation ofthe saddle 5 is utilized:

3 Claims. (01. te se).

to traverse a grinding tool head 8 relative to a workpiece supported ona table 9 arranged at one side of the base. It will be. understood, ofcourse, that the specific tooling of the machine is immaterial to thepresent invention,. which is concerned only with the control of thereciprocating movements of thesaddle 5.

Power-actuated means of any suitable character may. beutilized fordrivingv the saddle 5. in reciprocation. The exemplary machine isequipped with driving machanism of the type disclosed and claimed in theGallimore application. Serial No. 547,481,. filed. July 31, 1944, nowPatent No. 2,483,535.. In general, this mechanism includes a pinion ll(Fig. 1) cooperating with a rack [.2 (Fig.2) rigid'with and extendinglongitudinally .of'the. machine bed 1. The pinion H is carried by avertically disposed shaft. [3 (Fig. .1) journaled on the. saddle. ,5 anddriven through suitable gearing by reversible rotary fluid motor M.

Pressure fluid is supplied to the motor l4 by the. pump P driven by anelectric motorM (Fig. 2) enclosed Within an upright housing, [-5 on thesaddle 5. The pump .P has the usual control which is .shiftable byapower-actuated controller I B, through a. central or-zneutral positiondefining zero 'displacementinto opposite. limit positions defining,respectively, preset displacement of fluid in opposite directions ofdelivery. The connections' between the pump Pandmotor I4 are suchthatwhen the controller is set in one limit position the. motor is.operated in a direction. to traverse the saddle 5 to the right, asviewed in Fig. 1. Shifting of the controller to the neutral position'stopsi'the motor and saddle, and further shifting of the controller tothe other limit position reverses the motor andv traverses the saddle inthe opposite direction orto the left.

The present invention. provides means of a novel and advantageouscharacter for controlling the operation offthe controller 16 todeterminethe direction of travel of the saddle '5' automatically in response tothe reciprocation of the saddle. control is effected by alternateactuation of a pair o1v control devices in timed relation to" thereciprocation of the saddle. Where the controller i6 iselectricallyoperated or includes electrical operating or controlelements, the control devices conveniently comprise switches and havebeen shown herein that form of the housing |5. The chamber 20 opens atits lower end into a circular chamber 22 which houses a rotatablysupported disk-shaped control member 23operative to actuate the switchesS-I ands-2 as an incident to its oscillation. As shown in Fig. 2, thecontrol member 23 is fixed on the outer end of a horizontally disposedshaft 24 journaled on the framework of the housing l5. 'This shaft isprovided at its inner end with a worm wheel (not shown) coacting with aworm 26 fixed on the upper end of a vertically disposed shaft 27. Thelatter is connected by a coupling 28 with a vertical shaft 29 journaledin antifric 'may be variably positioned circumferentially thereof,whereby to actuate the switches S -I and 8-2 in selected positions ofthe saddle. As shown in Fig.4, the control member 23 has in its marginaledge portion an annular T-slot 37 opening in the frontface ofthecontrol-member. In the bottom of the slot are a series of pilot holes38.V .I

The dogs 35 and 35 are generally alike in construction, ach having agenerally wedge-shaped body with an inwardly directed flange 39 (Fig.

4) adapted to engage the periphery of the control member '23 and thuslocate the body of the dog over the T-slot 31. The dog is releasablyclamped to the member by a clamping bolt having a head portion 49engaging in the T-slot 31 and a tubular shank portion 4| projecting fromthe slot through an aperture in the body of the dog. A'nut 42 threadedon the projecting end of of the shank, 3| and bearing against the frontface of the dog is operable to draw the head of the bolt into clampingengagement with the Walls of the T-Jslot and thus frictionally clamp thedog in adjusted position on the control member 23. When the position ofthe dog is to be changed, the nut 42 is backed off sufiiciently torelease the clamping bolt, which may then beshifted along the T-slot tothe new position.

To facilitate positioning of the dogs 35 and 36, and to assistmaintaining them in adjusted positions on the, control member, each ofthe bolts AI is provided with an elongated pilot pin 43 extendingthrough its tubular shank and through an aperture 44 in the head 31 ofthe bolt. The other end of the pin is extended through an aperture inthe nut 42 and is threaded for the receptionof an operating knob 45.

A coiled compression spring 46 interposed between the inner face of thenut 42 and a circumferential flange 41 onthe pin 43 yieldably urges Vthe pin inwardly so as to project its inner end or end portion into thepilot hole 38 over which the dog is located. The pilot pin thuscooperates with the pilot hole to locate the dog on the control member23 and to insure against movement of the dog in case the clamping meansis 'inadvertently released. In adjusting the position of "S-[ and S-2.

the dog the pin is withdrawn. from the pilot hole the spring 46 by meansof ation is accurately coordinated with the saddle position by anarrangement whereby the dogs 35 and 35 perform their switch actuatingfunctions indirectly through the agency of adjustable switch actuators,herein shown as levers 50 and 5|. Each of the levers is pivotallysupported at one end and has its free end positioned to engage themovable member of one of the switches As herein shown, the levers arearranged in side-by-side relation at one edge of the control member 23and are provided with follower rollers 52 and 53 engageable respectivelyby cam surfaces formed on the dogs 35 and 36, the cam surfaces beingofiset laterally to aline with the levers 55 and 5|. Thus, as the dog 35is rocked into engagement with the follower roller 52, the lever 50 isrocked upwardly to acat one side of the chamber 23, Shifting of theslide along-the guideway iseffected by means of an adjusting screw 53threadedinto the slide and rotatably anchored in'thesidelw'all of thehousing 2|. A knob 5! is provided on the projecting end of the screw formanual rotation of the same. A stop collar 53 pinned or otherwise fixedon the inner end of the screw limits inward movement of the slide.

The lever 5| is similarly pivoted on a slide 60 supported in a guideway6| the housing 2| at the side of the chamber 2!] opposite that in whichthe slide '53 is located. Adjustment'of the slide 61] is effected by ascrew B2 threaded through the slide and havinga finger nob 63 at itsouter end and a stop collar 64 at its inner end.

' It will be evident that adjustments of the slides 54 and 6 5will'shift the pivotal axes of the lever 5| and will also changethepoint at which their respective follower rollers 52 and 53 areengaged by the dogs 35 and '35 in the oscillation of the control member,23. Accurate determination of the precise point at which switchactuation and thus reversal of saddle'movem'ent occursis thereforereadily attained. It will be understood, of course, that roughadjustment .of' the points of saddle reversal is effected by locatingthe dogs 35 and 36 on the control member 23 by means of the pilot holesand cooperating pilotpins 43. In practice, the pilot holes mayjbe spacedapart to correspond to a predetermined range of move-- ment ofthelsaddle, as,forjexam ple, a movement of six inches.Accurateadjustment of thereversal point within this range is theneffected by adjustment of the s1ides54and 60 and theirassociatedswitchactuating levers 50: and 5|. Such adjustments may be made veryquickly and easily, and remain unchanged while the;machine isinoperation. V i

I claim asmyinvention: j j I 5 1 1. For a machine having a working;elementmounted thereon for movement ii -opposite directions and havingdriving means for actuating said element, a. control mechanism adaptedto be associated with the; machine for controlling the driving means tocause, the movement of the through movement in one direction reached apreselected position, said mechanism including a rotatable controlmember adapted tohave angular rotation proportional to the movement ofthe working element in directions corresponding to the directions ofmovement of the element, a dog adjustably positioned on said member,guide means disposed alongside the path of movement of said dog, a slidemounted in guided relation with said guide means, a lever pivotallyattached to said slide, a reversing control device adapted forassociation with said driving means and having a controlling partthereof operatively associated with said lever to be actuated thereby,said lever being located in position to be engaged by said dog androcked by said dog about its pivotal attachment to said slide to actuatesaid control device, adjustment of said dog on said control memberserving to effect a coarse adjustment in the position of said controlmember at which said control device is actuated through said dog andlever, and screw thread adjusting means operatively connected with saidslide for accurately adjusting the position of said slide relative tosaid guide means, said adjustment in the position of said slideaccurately determining the point of movement of said control member atwhich said dog will engage said lever, said screw thread adjusting meansthus serving to effect fine adjustments in the position of said controlmember at which said control device will be actuated.

2. Mechanism for controlling the reverse movements of a machine toolelement comprising, in combination, a rotatable control member adaptedto be rotated alternately in opposite directions in response to reversemovements of the element, two dogs mounted on said member in angularlyspaced relation to each other, two sets of guiding means definingelongated guiding surfaces disposed in generally tangential relation tothe paths of movement of said respective dogs, two slides mounted inguided relation with said respective guiding surfaces, two leverspivotally attached to said respective slides, each of said levers havingassociated therewith a reversing control device arranged to be actuatedby pivotal movement of the lever and adapted to reverse the movement ofthe machine tool element, one of said levers being located in positionto be engaged by one of said dogs upon rotation of said control memberinto a first predetermined angular position, the other of said leversbeing located in position to be engaged by the other of said dogs uponrotation of said control member into a second predetermined angularposition, each dog being effective to rock its respective lever aboutthe pivotal attachment of the lever to the slide of that lever toactuate the associated reversing control device, adjusting meansassociated with each of said dogs to adjust the angular position of thedogs relative to said conother slide in its guide means independently ofthe position of said first slide, said screw thread adjusting meansthereby being operable to effect fine adjustments in said first andsecond angular positions which said control member must reach to engagesaid respective dogs with their respective levers.

3. For a machine having a working element mounted thereon for movementin opposite directions and having driving means for actuat ing saidelement; an adjustable control mechanism adapted to be associated withthe machine for controlling the driving means to cause the movement ofthe machine element to be terminated when the latter has, throughmovement in one direction, reached a preselected position; saidmechanism comprising, in combination, a control member, mounting meanssupporting said member for movement along a predetermined path, saidcontrol member being adapted for interconnection with the machineelement to have movement proportional to the movement of the latter andin directions corresponding to the directions of movement of theelement, an engaging member adjustably mounted on said control member tohave various fixed positions thereon, means on said engaging memberdefining a cam surface disposed in inclined relation to the contiguoussegment of the path of movement of the engaging member as determined bysaid control member path of movement, guide means disposed alongsidesaid engaging member path of movement in generally tangential relationto at least one segment thereof, a slide mounted in guided relation tosaid guide means, a control lever pivotally attached to said slide andhaving a cam follower thereon disposed in position to be engaged by saidcam surface whereby said lever is rocked about its pivotal attachment tosaid slide by said engaging member, a control device adapted forassociation with said driving means and having a controlling partpositioned to be actuated by said lever upon said rocking movementthereof, adjustment of said engaging member on said control memberserving to effect coarse adjustments in the position of the latter atwhich said control device is actuated through said engaging member andlever, and fine adjusting means operatively connected to said slide foraccurately adjusting the longitudinal position thereof relative to saidguide means, said adjustment in the longitudinal position of said slideaccurately determining the point of movement of said control member atwhich said engaging member will contact said cam follower and therebyserving to effect fine adjustments in the position of said controlmember at which said control device will be actuated.

EDGAR LEE MCFERREN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,459,756 Stahl June 26, 19231,787,292 Townsend Dec. 30, 1930 2,119,567 Williams June 7, 19382,147,989 Puurmann Feb. 21, 1939 2,170,697 Richter Aug. 22, 19392,358,759 Maude :Sept. 19, 1944

